Best Film of 2008

I know all two of you who actually read this have been eagerly awaiting my top theatrical picks for last year. And well, now that it is the last day of the first month of 2009, I figure now is as good a time as any to post them up. Here goes nothing!

5. Hellboy 2

With a bigger budget and more imagination, Hellboy returned to theaters in 2008, with great results. Some may feel that the other creatures in the film overshadowed Big Red, but I feel that the universe that was created in the original movie was greatly expanded for the better in the second one.

4. Iron Man

The forgotten Marvel character won't be forgotten anymore. Some say this is the best comic book film of 2008, but it just ranks fourth on my illustrious list. While the second film is rumored to be more emotional than this one, the overall fun factor of Iron Man earns it a spot on many a list for 2008.

3. Quantum of Solace

Whether or not Quantum was better than Casino Royale or not isn't really relevant. What is relevant is that we finally got a Bond film that was a direct sequel to the last one, and that James Bond once again proved that the soft lover boy days are over. This Bond is actually tough.

2. Cloverfield

All the mystery surrounding this film's release was well warranted, as the drama and intrigue really helped propel Cloverfield to one of 2008's best films. The story of a monster attack on New York City seen through the camcorder of an ordinary guy and his friends was one of the most intense film going experiences I've ever been to. Honestly, my #1 film earned that spot because of its replay value, but upon the first viewing of each movie, I liked Cloverfield better.

1. The Dark Knight

Arguably the best comic book adaptation ever, and defintiely the most hyped one since the original Superman, The Dark Knight added on the universe created in Batman Begins with a hero falling, a maniac with makeup, and a hero who is hated just as much as the criminals he is fighting. With great casting across the board, an epic story, and the drama of one of the stars tragically dying before he saw the final product, The Dark Knight truly shines as one of 2008's best. Now bring on Watchmen!!

Blu-ray Release of the Year

Fresh off the naming of my game of the year for 2008 comes the best Blu-ray release of the year. Keep in mind that I only count films that you couldn't have gone to a theater and seen this year. So yeah, you might think that Cloverfield was the best film of 2008, but that movie's home release wouldn't be eligible for this award. However, Transformers finally getting a Blu-ray release would definitely be considered. Well, without any more delay...


7. Transformers

Say what you want about Michael Bay, but no one can argue that he knows how to do action. He proved that again in 2007 with the release of Transformers. Definitely his best movie, and one that looks really stunning in HD. Especially for those of us who only paid $10 for the Blu-ray on Black Friday!!!







6. Batman: Gotham Knight

The recent DC Universe direct-to-video movies have really been fantastic. They started with Superman: Doomsday, went on to tell the tale of the Justice League in New Frontier, and most recently came out with Batman's journey from novice to the Dark Knight in Gotham Knight. While this release was certainly the worst one of the three so far, these six interlocking stories all tell interesting yarns about Batman's various exploits early in his career. It was also nice to hear Kevin Conroy as Batman again.










5. Batman Begins

With all the hoopla over The Dark Knight this year, it's a little tough to believe that the original Batman Begins didn't even come close to reaching the hype that its successor did. Blame it on the release of Star Wars Episode III if you want, but for some reason, Batman's origin story and fight against Ras Al Ghul was missed by a lot of people. Hopefully those same people check out this gem on Blu-ray, which was released a few weeks before the sequel was.














4. Superman: Doomsday Special Edition

Way back on July 10th, I made a list of the top ten movies that I would like to see on Blu-ray. So far, the only film I had on that list that has come out for the HD media is Superman Doomsday. 2008's Special Edition of this epic movie about Superman's death and rebirth saw a Blu release, and looked stunning on it.









3. Resident Evil Degeneration

It wouldn't be a real year without some sort of Resident Evil media making it on one of these lists. While I still think they could have told this story via a spinoff game, Resident Evil Degeneration is still a well-done film. Having an exclusive Resident Evil 5 preview on the disc didn't hurt matters, either.









2. The Nightmare Before Christmas Collector's Edition

This movie really needed another home release. The DVD had been long out of print, and was really hard to find. Disney did not disappoint us in 2008, giving us both a standard DVD and a Blu-ray of this classic 1994 holiday tale.










1. Justice League: The New Frontier

Now, for the grand daddy of them all. Of the three recent DC Universe animated features, The New Frontier is clearly the best of all of them. Warner Bros can talk all they want about why they put the live action JLA film on hold, but if you ask me, it's because they knew they wouldn't be able to live up to what New Frontier already did. A must-buy for every comic book fan!









Do you realize that a DVD/Blu-ray featuring the Man of Steel has won this award the past three years? It started with the Ultimate Superman Collection a few years back, kept going with the original release of Superman Doomsday last year, and now this year, while not starring him as a solo hero, The New Frontier continues it. However, I can't recall any Supes releases in 2009, so we'll see if some unannounced project makes the cut. Maybe Justice League Volume 2 will come out and actually be in widescreen...

Well, there is another list down. One more to go (best theatrical release)! Now, some of you may be wondering where a few sets are. Like, where is Sarah Connor Season 1? Band of Brothers? Justice League Volume 1? Well, I haven't bought SC just yet, but I will. Band I have purchased, but haven't watched it yet. And as for JLA, well, it looks great, but the lack of widescreen support kept it off this list. I will see you next time for my last list of 2008!

Continuation of yesterday's list.

What other games reigned supreme in 2008? The list concludes today!

5. Mario Kart Wii- Wii

Another Mario Kart game was released in 2008, and for my money, MK Wii is the best Kart ever. The graphics are really sharp, the online play is superb (wish they could patch it to include Wii Speak, though), and the Wii Wheel is flat-out great. I love doing tricks with it. Another good addition to the game were the motorcycles. I really enjoyed popping wheelies all day. This is a racer that no Wii owner should be without.









4. No More Heroes- Wii

Every now and then, a game comes along that is so unique that you have to give it some props. No More Heroes is such a game. While the story was hit or miss, the universe that was created was so nuts that it really makes you wonder what is in store for us gamers when the sequel comes out. Not to mention the really cool gameplay, which had you being able to decapitate multiple enemies at once, with a swing of the Wiimote. You really have to play it to understand why NMH is so cool. Thank God enough of us bought it to warrant another one...









3. Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix- PS3, 360

Another downloadable game makes the list, this time in the form of another remade classic. SSFIITHDR may be a mouthful to say, but no one is arguing that the gameplay of the most iconic fighter of all time still shines today. Also, with the HD polish, this game looks as good as ever. It's definitely a good way to get ready for the upcoming Street Fighter IV. Just remember, if you can get the PS3 version, spring for that one. As an owner of both, trust me. The 360 dpad joins the pinky toe as the most useless piece of equipment of all time.









2. Animal Crossing: City Folk- Wii

In December 2005, a game came out for the DS titled Animal Crossing Wild World. After receiving it for Christmas that year, I started to play, wondering what all the fuss was about. Fast forward three years later, and I was still playing it just as much as I did when it was released. That's the magic of the Animal Crossing series. You have to play everyday, or you know you will miss something cool. So, when I was finally able to play an AC game on my TV upon the release of the Wii version, it was a dream come true. Especially since said version comes with sharp graphics, new characters, holidays, and voice chat enabled online play. in 2005, the only game that could top ACWW was Resident Evil 4. This year, it took another game from one of my favorite series to outrank what was/is another great entry in the AC franchise.









1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots- PS3

There really was never a doubt. The latest (and last) mission in Solid Snake's life was detailed in MGS4. While some may complain over the anything-but-brief cutscenes, I would say that they really helped us connect with the legenday mercenary. MGS4 has it all. A great narrative, that explains all the things that we have been wondering about over the years, and comes to a satisfying conclusion. Stellar graphics that even let you zoom in during the in-game movies (no place for glitches to hide). Great gameplay that utilizes an over-the-shoulder camera (Resident Evil 4 really started something) for perfect aiming. And oh, by the way, it has a fantastic (read: FANTASTIC) online mode that will keep players coming back for years. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is a masterpiece in every definition of the word. If you don't have a PS3, start saving up. You won't find a better game on any other platform. And for all these people creaming over The Dark Knight (great film, not dissing it)...well.. MGS4 was the best piece of entertainment that was released in 2008, bar none.









Well, that does it for the best-of picks for this year. For video games, at least. The DVD/Blu-ray release and the theatrical film release are still up for grabs, which I will post starting tomorrow. Movies did well in 2008, but wow, was it a great year for video games. And to think of all the games I didn't include because I didn't buy them (Littlebigplanet, Call of Duty: World at War, Left 4 Dead, Wario Land Shake It!, de Blob), and the games that were good but didn't make the cut (House of the Dead Rebirth, Okami Wii) just means that I could have had a fifteen game list and it wouldn't have been enough. However, these ten gems were a cut above the rest, and that's why they made the list. See you tomorrow!